Jordan Hugill Sets Targets For New Season

North End forward Jordan Hugill certainly had a memorable 2014/15 campaign, and the 22-year-old is hoping to take that into the new season.

In his first year with the Lilywhites, the striker has suffered a serious injury, scored against his boyhood club Middlesbrough, helped keep Hartlepool United in the Football League and was part of the PNE squad that won at Wembley to secure promotion to the Championship.

It’s certainly kept the former Port Vale man busy and he is hoping for as much excitement next season and has already set himself targets for the new campaign.

“I can’t wait, I honestly didn’t want the season to end but obviously everyone needs a break but it’s going to make everyone come back wanting to go for it a lot more next year. It’s definitely going to be doing that with me

“For me, I wanted to finish off the season really well and then take the confidence I’ve taken from this season into the next.

“I’ve loved every minute I’ve played this year, obviously I was disappointed at the start of the season with getting injured and stuff but my main aim for me was to finish on a high, and I safely say I’ve definitely done that.

“To help by scoring the goal that kept Hartlepool up, and then coming back and being promoted with Preston is just an unbelievable feeling.

“I just want to play more games and play as many games as I can next season, and hopefully if I do well, get a new contract.

"My contract is up next year and I know it’s early to be talking about stuff like this but that’s my aim, I want to be at Preston for as long as I can.

“I’m obviously just going to work hard on my fitness over the summer, and that’s what I’m going to be doing. I may have a little holiday but in between that I’m going to be working hard on my fitness.”

Before all of the hard work kicks in, the striker has of course found time to celebrate what was a fantastic occasion for the Lilywhites and loved every minute of the Wembley atmosphere.

“I’ve just been enjoying myself, obviously with the lads last week, then come home and been on holiday and I’ve just been loving it.

“We celebrated quite a bit after the game and stuff. I maybe celebrated a bit too much, if you saw my eye! Which is fully healed now thankfully.

"I got a bit overwhelmed celebrating in the changing rooms a bit too much, I decided to jump on someone’s back and ended up going for a header with my medal!

"I had to have stitches, which I had to take out myself, Jacko [Matt Jackson, physio] gave me something to take them out with so it’s all fine now. Definitely worth it though, I would do it all again if we won again!

“I’ve never been in a stadium that big in my life! I’ve never even been to watch a match at one that big so coming out to do the warm up and hearing all the Preston fans, I got goose bumps it was brilliant. I just couldn’t believe it."

Speaking of the fantastic support from the North End faithful, Jordan added: “The fans were great, and as soon as we got the first goal they were jumping about for joy but even for me watching the game I was going mad on the sidelines with every goal that went it.

“I ended up elbowing Stucki [Thorsten Stuckmann] in the mouth early on when we were on the bench so I was getting as excited as everyone else!”

Those celebrations on the bench along with the post match epitomised the character and togetherness at the Club, and Hugill felt the whole squad deserved the victory.

“I think it showed at the end of the game how close everyone is in the squad, everyone wanted everyone to do well.

“It showed on the pitch afterwards with the celebrations just how close everyone was and how much we all wanted to do well, whether you are in the team or not.

“It showed brilliant character from the lads to come back from Colchester but I knew all along they would be able to do it.

They had done so well all season and I think it’s what we deserved and Wembley was brilliant and everyone says it’s the best way to go up and as I say I think we deserved that.”